Boria Majumdar in Sydney
India endured a disappointing 3-1 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, ending their hopes of securing a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final in the ongoing cycle. After this victory, Australia will now face South Africa in the WTC final.
The series saw Jasprit Bumrah emerge as the lone warrior for the visitors while India’s batting unit, particularly senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, had a forgettable tour. Afterwards, RevSportz’s Editor-in-Chief, Boria Majumdar, engaged in a candid conversation with former Australian skipper Michael Clarke. During their chat, Clarke shared his insights on Kohli’s form, the recurring pattern of his dismissals, and his thoughts on Bumrah’s standout performances.
Boria: The debate that is raging in India at the moment on Virat Kohli is whether should he continue in Test match cricket or retire, or should he be dropped? Your thoughts?
Clarke: If Virat wants to keep playing, he keeps playing. He is a once-in-a-generation player. He is still got plenty of runs to offer. He is still a great batsman. In my opinion, you guys go to England for a five-Test match series. If you are to win that series, Virat Kohli has to be the leading run-scorer.
He is still a great player. He made 100 in the first Test match in the second innings. He has still got that hunger. You can see when he gets out how disappointed he is. You can see him go to training every day and bat in the nets. This guy has plenty of runs still left in him.
Boria: How does he solve this problem outside the off stump? That is the question because it’s the same mistake over and over again.
Clarke: We all get out in some way. To me, I think there is a lot of talk about Virat needing to leave the ball. I do not think he needs to leave that ball. I think he does leave that ball sometimes. Sometimes, he drives it for fours. Sometimes, he blocks it. I think it is intent, his feet. He has always had good feet. So, getting himself closer to the ball to be able to defend it, drive it, or let it go – I think that is all Virat needs to do.
I think a lot of the times we talk about weaknesses or deficiencies, but Virat’s got a lot of strengths as well. One of his strengths is bat on ball. He is always like, especially starting his innings, hitting the ball. That gives him confidence. That gets him into the game. Good runner between the wickets. I think it is as simple as sharper feet, head closer to the ball, foot closer to the ball, and then if he gets there and it is too wide, he will let that ball go.
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MICHAEL CLARKE EXCLUSIVE
“I believe Virat still has a lot of cricket and plenty of runs left in him.” – Michael Clarke backs Virat Kohli to continue playing for India.@ThumsUpOfficial @MClarke23 @BoriaMajumdar #ViratKohli #JaspritBumrah pic.twitter.com/oeURF5rVu1
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) January 9, 2025
The other thing as well that I think we have to remember is the tough batting conditions in Australia this summer. Seaming wickets, coming out to bat early against a new ball. Not many batters found it easy. So, I think that has also got to be respected, that it was really hard batting conditions. I think Virat has a lot of cricket and a lot of runs left in him.
If he is not in India’s Test team, in my opinion, there is only one team that misses out, and that is the Indian cricket team. I think if I was captain of that team, I would want him in that team for a lot longer.
Boria: Would you want him to play red-ball cricket after IPL, get into the groove, then play England?
Clarke: I think the balance is what is important. India plays so much cricket. He has got to play in the Champions Trophy. He has got to play IPL. He has then got to be ready for the first Test against England. It is physical and mental. You have got to be able to look after both.
You cannot play every single game and expect him to be mentally fresh for the first Test. So, I think the balance is important. I think the communication between Virat, the captain, coach, selectors, Indian cricket board – think together you need to work out what Indian cricket needs, what is best for the team first, and then how can we get Virat feel fresh, fit, healthy, and playing his best cricket. And Virat will know what to do.
He has done it for 12 years, 15 years. This guy is a once-in-a-lifetime player. I just think, like Sachin – India was a better team with Sachin Tendulkar in it, in any conditions in the world. India is a better cricket team in any format, in my opinion, with Virat Kohli in it.
Boria: A lot of people telling me that Bumrah is the best fast bowler to have come to Australian shores in a long time – 32 wickets, leadership. Your thoughts on Jasprit Bumrah?
Clarke: I cannot go back to bowlers like Curtly Ambrose, Wasim Akram, Glenn McGrath that did not play Twenty20 [international] cricket, one-day cricket and Test cricket. So, from the bowlers that have played all three formats, in my opinion, Bumrah is the greatest. Across all three formats, Bumrah is the greatest, in my opinion.
Skilful, so intelligent, quick, angles in, can seam the ball back in, can swing the ball away. We did not even get the chance to see Bumrah reverse swing. He is a genius with reverse swing, but conditions were not conducive. This guy is, like… I hope, when I say the word freak, I hope that makes sense.
It is unbelievable what this guy can do in all three formats. He is a freak. He is unbelievable. He is the best. He is the greatest to have ever played the game in all three formats, in my opinion.
Also Read: Bumrah’s brand value trails behind his worth on the field